U.S. scientists create self-replicating robot

Dom · May 12, 2005, 01:23 PM

LONDON (Reuters) - Self-replicating robots are no longer the stuff of science fiction.

Scientists at the Cornell University in Ithaca, New York have created small robots that can build copies of themselves.

Each robot consists of several 10-cm (4 inch) cubes which have identical machinery, electromagnets to attach and detach to each other and a computer program for replication. The robots can bend and pick up and stack the cubes.

"Although the machines we have created are still simple compared with biological self-reproduction, they demonstrate that mechanical self-reproduction is possible and not unique to biology," Hod Lipson said in a report in the science journal Nature on Wednesday.

He and his team believe the design principle could be used to make long term, self-repairing robots that could mend themselves and be used in hazardous situations and on space flights.

The experimental robots, which don't do anything else except make copies of themselves, are powered through contacts on the surface of the table and transfer data through their faces. They self-replicate by using additional modules placed in special "feeding locations."

The machines duplicate themselves by bending over and putting their top cube on the table. Then they bend again, pick up another cube, put it on top of the first and repeat the entire process. As the new robot begins to take shape it helps to build itself.

"The four-module robot was able to construct a replica in 2.5 minutes by lifting and assembling cubes from the feeding locations," said Lipson.

_____________________
Source: Y! News

K.I.L.E.R · May 12, 2005, 03:05 PM

Can you say "Stargate"?
What would Thor say about this?

pr0digal jenius · May 12, 2005, 03:50 PM

*wants pictures*

Dragunov · May 12, 2005, 04:27 PM

Replicators

Greetz

Dragunov

Sandok · May 12, 2005, 04:42 PM

The end of the world is near!!!

YAYitsAndrew · May 12, 2005, 08:46 PM

Wow I wrote a sci fi story for a humanities class a year ago with robots very similar to this. Except they killed people.

ChrisW · May 13, 2005, 01:00 AM

Wooooooooo...

A computer program to stack blocks in the order programmed into it...I can't believe it. We all know putting together pre-manufactured blocks is the same thing as creating them from scratch from your surrounding material!

Dark Lord · May 13, 2005, 01:20 AM

for some reason i thought of Jason X when i heard self replicating robots.

Drakon · May 13, 2005, 01:40 AM

The end is nigh! Repent all ye Heathens!!!

Paradox Enigma · May 13, 2005, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YAYitsAndrew

Wow I wrote a sci fi story for a humanities class a year ago with robots very similar to this. Except they killed people.

...and a good horror story would be if they all got jobs as telemarketers.

May 12, 2005, 01:23 PM	#1
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	U.S. scientists create self-replicating robot LONDON (Reuters) - Self-replicating robots are no longer the stuff of science fiction. Scientists at the Cornell University in Ithaca, New York have created small robots that can build copies of themselves. Each robot consists of several 10-cm (4 inch) cubes which have identical machinery, electromagnets to attach and detach to each other and a computer program for replication. The robots can bend and pick up and stack the cubes. "Although the machines we have created are still simple compared with biological self-reproduction, they demonstrate that mechanical self-reproduction is possible and not unique to biology," Hod Lipson said in a report in the science journal Nature on Wednesday. He and his team believe the design principle could be used to make long term, self-repairing robots that could mend themselves and be used in hazardous situations and on space flights. The experimental robots, which don't do anything else except make copies of themselves, are powered through contacts on the surface of the table and transfer data through their faces. They self-replicate by using additional modules placed in special "feeding locations." The machines duplicate themselves by bending over and putting their top cube on the table. Then they bend again, pick up another cube, put it on top of the first and repeat the entire process. As the new robot begins to take shape it helps to build itself. "The four-module robot was able to construct a replica in 2.5 minutes by lifting and assembling cubes from the feeding locations," said Lipson. _____________________ Source: Y! News

May 12, 2005, 03:05 PM	#2
K.I.L.E.R Kronos, Father of Zeus Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 162 Rep Power: 0	Can you say "Stargate"? What would Thor say about this? __________________ P4 1.8Ghz Intel i845 mobo R300 768mb RAM SBLive Windows XP Home

May 12, 2005, 04:27 PM	#4
Dragunov DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 316 Rep Power: 0	Replicators Greetz Dragunov __________________ - Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 + Zalman 9700 LED - MSI P6N (Nvidia 680i chipset), BIOS: P33 - 2GB DDR2 ram Corsair Dominator 1066Mhz - MSI Geforce 8800GTS 640MB - Creative X-Fi Elite Pro - Seagate 320GB 7200/10 - WD Caviar 750GB - Logitech MX-518 - Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit NL

May 12, 2005, 08:46 PM	#6
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Wow I wrote a sci fi story for a humanities class a year ago with robots very similar to this. Except they killed people. __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com

May 12, 2005, 03:50 PM	#3
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	wants pictures

May 12, 2005, 04:42 PM	#5
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 66	The end of the world is near!!!

May 13, 2005, 01:00 AM	#7
ChrisW DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 332 Rep Power: 0	Wooooooooo... A computer program to stack blocks in the order programmed into it...I can't believe it. We all know putting together pre-manufactured blocks is the same thing as creating them from scratch from your surrounding material!

May 13, 2005, 01:20 AM	#8
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 124 System Specs	for some reason i thought of Jason X when i heard self replicating robots.

May 13, 2005, 01:40 AM	#9
Drakon DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Floatin'... Posts: 4,957 Rep Power: 56	The end is nigh! Repent all ye Heathens!!!